Automatic discovery of route reflection peering end-points

ABSTRACT

An auto-discovery route reflector (auto-discovery-RR) may obtain a route from an originating network device and may update a data structure to include at least some information contained in the route. The auto-discovery-RR may identify, based on the data structure, a plurality of target network devices, wherein the plurality of target network devices includes at least one route reflector (RR) and at least one route reflector client (RR-client). The auto-discovery-RR may send the route to the plurality of target network devices to facilitate establishment of a connection between the originating network device and at least one target network device of the plurality of target network devices.

BACKGROUND

A network that conforms to the border gateway protocol (BGP) may utilizeroute reflection, which allows a network device to send traffic to oneor more network devices (e.g., BGP peers) without having to individuallysend the traffic to each network device of the one or more networkdevices.

SUMMARY

According to some implementations, a method may include obtaining, by anautomatic discovery route reflector (auto-discovery-RR), a route from anoriginating network device; updating, by the auto-discovery-RR, a datastructure to include at least some information contained in the route;identifying, by the auto-discovery-RR and based on the data structure, aplurality of target network devices, wherein the plurality of targetnetwork devices includes at least one route reflector (RR) and at leastone route reflector client (RR-client); and sending, by theauto-discovery-RR, the route to the plurality of target network devicesto facilitate establishment of a connection between the originatingnetwork device and at least one target network device of the pluralityof target network devices.

According to some implementations, a route reflector (RR) may includeone or more memories, and one or more processors to: receive, from anoriginating network device and via an automatic discovery routereflector (auto-discovery-RR), a route; process the route to determineinformation identifying the originating network device and additionalinformation related to the originating network device; update a datastructure to include the information identifying the originating networkdevice and at least some of the additional information related to theoriginating network device; and cause, based on the informationidentifying the originating network device, a connection between the RRand the originating network device to be established.

According to some implementations, a non-transitory computer-readablemedium may store one or more instructions. The one or more instructions,when executed by one or more processors of a route reflector client(RR-client), may cause the one or more processors to: receive, from anoriginating route reflector (RR) and via an automatic discovery routereflector (auto-discovery-RR), a route reflector advertisement route;process the RR advertisement route to determine information identifyingthe originating RR, information identifying an address family associatedwith the originating RR, and additional information related to theoriginating RR; update a data structure to include the informationidentifying the originating RR, the information identifying the addressfamily associated with the originating RR, and at least some of theadditional information related to the originating RR; determine whetherthe address family associated with the originating RR matches an addressfamily associated with the RR-client; and update, based on determiningthat the address family associated with the originating RR matches theaddress family associated with the RR-client, one or more settings ofthe RR-client to allow the originating RR to be able to cause aconnection with the RR-client to be established.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1D are diagrams of one or more example implementationsdescribed herein.

FIG. 2A-2C are diagrams depicting example routes described herein.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example environment in which systems and/ormethods described herein may be implemented.

FIGS. 4A-4B are diagrams of example components of one or more devices ofFIG. 3.

FIGS. 5-7 are flowcharts of example processes for automatic discovery ofroute reflection peering end-points.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of example implementations refers tothe accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in differentdrawings may identify the same or similar elements.

Route reflection in a BGP-enabled network allows one or more networkdevices of the network to communicate with each other without the one ormore network devices being individually connected with each other (e.g.,fully meshed). For example, a route reflection cluster may include oneor more route reflectors (RRs) that serve one or more RR-clients. Theone or more RRs may be fully meshed with each other, and each RR may beindividually connected with each of the one or more RR-clients.Accordingly, in some cases, a network device external to the cluster mayconnect to at least one RR of the one or more RRs to send traffic to theone or more RR-clients via the at least one RR. In this way, theexternal network device does not need to be individually connected withthe one or more RR-clients to send traffic to the one or moreRR-clients, which may reduce an overall number of connections needed toserve network devices of the network. However, designing andimplementing a network that utilizes route reflection requires manualconfiguration to ensure proper operation of each network device. Thiscan be a resource intensive, time-consuming procedure that issusceptible to human error. Further, in many cases, because of theconfiguration complexities involved with route reflection, existingnetwork devices cannot be easily changed and/or removed from the networkand new network devices cannot be easily added to the network.

Some implementations described herein provide an automatic discoveryroute reflector (auto-discovery-RR) (e.g., also referred to as abootstrap RR) that connects to every network device of a network. Insome implementations, the auto-discovery-RR may reflect auto-discoverysignaling routes (e.g., also referred to as bootstrap signaling routes)between network devices of the network. For example, in someimplementations, a particular RR may send (e.g., when the particular RRis added or updated) an RR advertisement route to the auto-discovery-RR,which may send the RR advertisement route (e.g., reflect the RRadvertisement route) to one or more RRs and/or one or more RR-clients ofthe network. In some implementations, the one or more RRs may connectwith the particular RR and/or the one or more RR-clients mayrespectively update one or more settings to allow the particular RR tocause a connection to be established with the one or more RR-clients. Inanother example, in some implementations, a particular RR-client maysend an RR-client request route to the auto-discovery-RR, which may sendthe RR-client request route (e.g., reflect the RR-client request route)to one or more RRs of the network. In some implementations, at leastsome of the one or more RRs may respectively cause a connection to beestablished with the particular RR-client. In some implementations, anRR, of the one or more RRs, may send an RR neighborship advertisementroute to the other RRs to indicate that an active connection has beenestablished between the RR and the particular RR-client.

In this way, the auto-discovery-RR may facilitate automaticconfiguration of route reflection in a network. Because of theauto-discovery signaling routes, the auto-discovery-RR may facilitateproper route reflection configuration of RRs and/or RR-clients as theRRs and/or RR-clients are updated and/or removed from the network and/ornew RRs and/or new RR-clients are added to the network. RRs andRR-clients therefore do not need to be manually configured every time anRR or RR-client is updated, removed from the network, and/or added tothe network. Accordingly, the auto-discovery-RR can reduce an amount oftime to configure or reconfigure network devices of the network, therebyimproving performance of the network relative to using a manualconfiguration process to configure the network devices. Further, theauto-discovery-RR can facilitate the network automatically adapting todynamic changes to the network devices of the network to maintain properroute reflection configuration, which is not possible using a manualconfiguration process.

FIGS. 1A-1D are diagrams of one or more example implementations 100described herein. As shown in FIG. 1A, example implementation(s) 100 mayinclude multiple network devices, such as an auto-discovery-RR, one ormore RRs (e.g., shown in FIG. 1A as RR 1 through RR N, where N isgreater than or equal to 1), one or more RR-clients (e.g., shown in FIG.1A as RR-client 1 through RR-client M, where M is greater than or equalto 1). The multiple network devices may be included in a network, suchas a network that utilizes BGP route reflection. An RR or an RR-clientmay be configured with only the address of the auto-discovery-RR whenadded to the network to facilitate automatic discovery of routereflection peering end-points, as described herein.

Each RR may be connected with each of the other RRs of the one or moreRRs (e.g. the one or more RRs may be fully meshed as BGP peers).Further, a set of RRs, of the one or more RRs, and a set of RR-clients,of the one or more RR-clients, may form a cluster (e.g., an RR cluster).The cluster may be associated with a particular addressing family. EachRR of the cluster may be respectively connected to each RR-client of thecluster (e.g., as BGP peers). One or more clusters may be formed fromthe one or more RRs and the one or more RR-clients.

The auto-discovery-RR may be respectively connected to each RR of theone or more RRs and/or may be respectively connected to each RR-clientof the one or more RR-clients. For example, with reference to FIG. 1A,the auto-discovery-RR may be respectively connected with each of RR 1through RR N and/or may be respectively connected with each of RR-client1 through RR-client M (e.g., the auto-discovery RR has all the RRs andall of the RR-clients as configured-BGP-neighbors). Theauto-discovery-RR may include and/or maintain a data structure thatincludes information identifying each RR of the one or more RRs and/oreach RR-client of the one or more RR-clients; routing informationassociated with each RR of the one or more RRs and/or each RR-client ofthe one or more RR-clients; and/or the like. Accordingly, as describedherein, the auto-discovery-RR may facilitate automatic configuration ofroute reflection for the network.

In some implementations, an RR, of the one or more RRs, may generateand/or send an auto-discovery signaling route, such as an RRadvertisement route to the auto-discovery-RR. For example, as shown inFIG. 1B and by reference number 102, an originating RR (e.g., RR 1) maygenerate and/or send an RR advertisement route to the auto-discovery-RR.The originating RR may generate and/or send the RR advertisement routeto the auto-discovery-RR when the originating RR is added to thenetwork, when the originating RR is updated (e.g., an address associatedwith the originating RR changes, an address family supported by theoriginating RR changes, and/or the like), and/or the like. The RRadvertisement route may include information identifying a routedistinguisher of the route (e.g., a unique identifier); informationidentifying a type of the route (e.g., information indicating that theroute is an RR advertisement route); information identifying at leastone address family associated with the originating RR (e.g., an addressfamily indicator (AFI) indicating a support for IPv4 and/or IPv6; asubsequent address family indicator (SAFI) indicating support forunicast, multicast, virtual private network (VPN), and/or the like;and/or the like); information identifying the originating RR (e.g., aninternet protocol (IP) address associated with the originating RR, aphysical location of the originating RR, and/or the like); informationidentifying a network associated with the originating RR (e.g., anautonomous system (AS) associated with the originating RR); informationidentifying at least one configuration preference of the originating RR(e.g., a maximum number of connections supported by the originating RR);information identifying at least one route target associated with theoriginating RR (e.g., a route target indicating that the originating RRbelongs to a particular group, such as a group comprising the one ormore RRs); and/or the like.

As shown by reference number 104, the auto-discovery-RR, upon receivingthe RR advertisement route, may update the data structure included inthe auto-discovery-RR to include at least some information contained inthe RR advertisement route. For example, the auto-discovery-RR mayupdate the data structure to include the information identifying theoriginating RR, the information identifying the network associated withthe originating RR, the information identifying the at least oneconfiguration preference of the originating RR, the informationidentifying the at least one route target associated with theoriginating RR, and/or the like. As shown by reference number 106, theauto-discovery-RR may search the data structure to identify the one ormore RRs and may send the RR advertisement route to at least one RR(e.g., at least one target RR) of the one or more RRs (e.g., theauto-discovery-RR may send the RR advertisement route to the RR N asshown in FIG. 1B). In some implementations, the auto-discovery-RR maysend the RR advertisement to each of the one or more RRs (e.g., RR 1through RR N), to each of the one or more RRs excluding the originatingRR (e.g., RR 2 through RR N), and/or the like.

A target RR that receives the RR advertisement route may process the RRadvertisement route to determine the information identifying theoriginating RR and/or additional information related to the originatingRR (e.g., the information identifying the at least one address familyassociated with the originating RR; the information identifying thenetwork associated with the originating RR; the information identifyingthe at least one configuration preference of the originating RR; theinformation identifying at least one route target associated with theoriginating RR; and/or the like). The target RR may update a datastructure (e.g., included in the target RR) to include the informationidentifying the originating RR and/or at least some of the additionalinformation related to the originating RR.

In some implementations, the target RR may cause a connection (e.g., aBGP session) to be established between the originating RR and the targetRR. For example, the target RR may determine, based on the informationidentifying the originating RR, an address of the originating RR, andmay generate and/or send a connection initiation request to theoriginating RR to cause a connection to be established between the RRand the originating RR. As shown by reference number 108, the RR N maycause a connection between the RR 1 and the RR N to be established(e.g., based on the RR advertisement route).

In some implementations, after causing the connection between theoriginating RR and the target RR to be established, the target RR maysend, to the originating RR, information identifying the target RR,information identifying at least one address family associated with thetarget RR, and/or the like. The originating RR may update a datastructure (e.g., included in the originating RR) to include theinformation identifying the target RR, the information identifying atleast one address family associated with the target RR, and/or the like.Additionally, or alternatively, the target RR may update one or moresettings of the target RR (e.g., the target RR may enable advertisementof multiple paths for the same addressing prefix to ensure that allroutes concerning other RRs are stored in the data structure of thetarget RR).

In some implementations, the originating RR may generate and/or send theRR advertisement route to the auto-discovery-RR, and theauto-discovery-RR may send the RR advertisement route to at least oneRR-client of the one or more RR-clients. For example, as shown in FIG.1C and by reference number 110, the originating RR (e.g., RR 1) maygenerate and/or send an RR advertisement route to the auto-discovery-RR(e.g., in a similar manner as described herein in relation to FIG. 1Band reference number 102). As shown by reference number 112, theauto-discovery-RR may update the data structure included in theauto-discovery-RR (e.g., in a similar manner as described herein inrelation to FIG. 1B and reference number 104). As shown by referencenumber 114, the auto-discovery-RR may search the data structure toidentify the one or more RR-clients and may send the RR advertisementroute to at least one RR-client (e.g., at least one target RR-client) ofthe one or more RR-clients (e.g., in a similar manner as describedherein in relation to FIG. 1B and reference number 106). In someimplementations, the auto-discovery-RR may send the RR advertisement toeach of the one or more RR-clients (e.g., RR-client 1 through RR-clientM).

A target RR-client that receives the RR advertisement route may processthe RR advertisement route to determine the information identifying theoriginating RR, the information identifying the address familyassociated with the originating RR, and/or additional informationrelated to the originating RR (e.g., the information identifying thenetwork associated with the originating RR; the information identifyingthe at least one configuration preference of the originating RR; theinformation identifying at least one route target associated with theoriginating RR; and/or the like). The target RR-client may update a datastructure (e.g., included in the target RR-client) to include theinformation identifying the originating RR, the information identifyingthe address family associated with the originating RR, and/or at leastsome of the additional information related to the originating RR.

In some implementations, the target RR-client may determine whether theaddress family associated with the originating RR matches an addressfamily associated with the RR-client (e.g., based on one or moreconfigurations of the target RR-client that may be indicated byinformation included in the data structure of the target RR-client).When the target RR-client determines that the address family associatedwith the originating RR matches the address family associated with theRR-client, the target RR-client may update one or more settings of theRR-client. For example, as shown by reference number 116, the RR-client1 may update one or more settings of the RR-client 1 (e.g., based on theRR advertisement route). In some implementations, updating the one ormore settings of the target RR-client may allow the originating RR to beable to cause a connection with the target RR-client to be established.For example, the target RR-client may update at least one setting of thetarget RR-client (e.g., that may be stored in the data structure of thetarget RR-client) to indicate that the target RR-client may acceptconnection initiation requests from the originating RR.

In some implementations, an RR-client, of the one or more RR-clients,may generate and/or send an auto-discovery signaling route, such as anRR-client request route to the auto-discovery-RR. For example, as shownin FIG. 1D and by reference number 118, an originating RR-client (e.g.,RR-client 1) may generate and/or send an RR-client request route to theauto-discovery-RR. The originating RR-client may generate and/or sendthe RR-client request route to the auto-discovery-RR when theoriginating RR-client is added to the network, when the originatingRR-client is updated (e.g., an address associated with the originatingRR-client changes, an address family supported by the originatingRR-client changes, a number of connections to the originating RR-clientchanges, and/or the like), and/or the like. The RR-client request routemay include information identifying a route distinguisher of the route(e.g., a unique identifier); information identifying a type of the route(e.g., information indicating that the route is an RR-client requestroute); information identifying at least one address family associatedwith the originating RR-client (e.g., an AFI, an SAFI, and/or the like);information identifying the originating RR-client (e.g., an IP addressassociated with the originating RR-client, a physical location of theoriginating RR-client, and/or the like); information identifying anetwork associated with the originating RR-client (e.g., an ASassociated with the originating RR-client); information identifying atleast one configuration preference of the originating RR (e.g., amaximum number of connections supported by the originating RR-client; apreference for connecting to RRs that have a physical location within athreshold distance of a physical location of the originating RR-client;and/or the like); information identifying at least one route targetassociated with the originating RR (e.g., a route target indicating thatthe originating RR-client belongs to a particular group, such as a groupcomprising the one or more RR-clients, a group comprising just theoriginating RR-client, and/or the like); and/or the like.

As shown by reference number 120, the auto-discovery-RR, upon receivingthe RR-client request route, may update the data structure included inthe auto-discovery-RR to include at least some information contained inthe RR-client request route. For example, the auto-discovery-RR mayupdate the data structure to include the information identifying theoriginating RR-client, the information identifying the networkassociated with the originating RR-client, the information identifyingthe at least one configuration preference of the originating RR-client,the information identifying the at least one route target associatedwith the originating RR-client, and/or the like. In someimplementations, the auto-discovery-RR may search the data structure toidentify the one or more RRs and may send the RR-client request route toat least one RR (e.g., at least one target RR) of the one or more RRs.For example, as shown by reference numbers 122-1 and 122-2, theauto-discovery-RR may send the RR-client request route to the RR 1 andthe RR N. In some implementations, the auto-discovery-RR may send theRR-client request route to each of the one or more RRs (e.g., RR 1through RR N).

A target RR that receives the RR-client request route may process theRR-client request route to determine the information identifying theoriginating RR-client and/or additional information related to theoriginating RR-client (e.g., the information identifying the at leastone address family associated with the originating RR-client; theinformation identifying the network associated with the originatingRR-client; the information identifying the at least one configurationpreference of the originating RR-client; the information identifying atleast one route target associated with the originating RR-client; and/orthe like). The target RR may update a data structure (e.g., included inthe target RR) to include the information identifying the originatingRR-client and/or at least some of the additional information related tothe originating RR-client.

In some implementations, the target RR may cause a connection (e.g., aBGP session) to be established between the originating RR-client and thetarget RR. For example, as shown by reference number 124, the RR 1 maycause a connection between the RR-client 1 and the RR 1 to beestablished (e.g., based on the RR-client request route). The target RRmay cause a connection to be established between the target RR and theoriginating RR-client by determining, based on the informationidentifying the originating RR-client, an address of the originatingRR-client and sending, based on the address of the originatingRR-client, a connection initiation request to the originating RR-client.

In some implementations, the target RR may determine whether to cause aconnection to be established between the target RR and the originatingRR-client based on the additional information related to the originatingRR-client. For example, the target RR may determine, based on theadditional information related to the originating RR-client, an addressfamily associated with the originating RR-client and may determine,based on configuration information included in the data structure of thetarget RR, an address family associated with the target RR. When thetarget RR determines that the address family associated with theoriginating network device matches the address family associated withthe target RR, the target RR may send a connection initiation request tothe originating RR-client to cause the connection to be establishedbetween the target RR and the originating RR-client. Additionally, oralternatively, when the target RR determines that the address familyassociated with the originating network device does not match theaddress family associated with the target RR, the target RR maydetermine not to send a connection initiation request to the originatingRR-client and may thereby prevent a connection from being establishedbetween the target RR and the originating RR-client.

In an additional example, the target RR may determine, based on theadditional information related to the originating RR-client, a maximumnumber of connections of the originating RR-client, and may search thedata structure of the target RR to determine a number of activeconnections to the originating RR-client. When the target RR determinesthat the number of active connections is less than the maximum number ofconnections, the target RR may send a connection initiation request tothe originating RR-client to cause the connection to be establishedbetween the target RR and the originating RR-client. Additionally, oralternatively, when the target RR determines that the number of activeconnections is greater than or equal to the maximum number ofconnections, the target RR may determine not to send a connectioninitiation request to the originating RR-client and may thereby preventa connection from being established between the target RR and theoriginating RR-client.

In a further example, the target RR may determine, based on theadditional information related to the originating RR-client, a physicallocation of the originating RR-client and may determine, based oninformation stored in the data structure of the target RR, a physicallocation of the target RR. When the target RR determines that thephysical location of the target RR is within (e.g., less than or equalto) a threshold distance (e.g., 1 kilometer (km), 10 km, 100 km, 1,000km, and/or the like) of the physical location of the originatingRR-client, the target RR may send a connection initiation request to theoriginating RR-client to cause the connection to be established betweenthe target RR and the originating RR-client. Additionally, oralternatively, when the target RR determines that the physical locationof the target RR is not within (e.g., greater than) the thresholddistance of the physical location of the originating RR-client, thetarget RR may determine not to send a connection initiation request tothe originating RR-client and may thereby prevent a connection frombeing established between the target RR and the originating RR-client.

In some implementations, upon receiving a connection initiation requestsent by the target RR (e.g., as described in the examples above), theoriginating RR-client may determine (e.g., by searching the datastructure included in the RR-client) a number of active connections thatthe originating RR-client has with at least some of the one or more RRs.The originating RR-client may determine whether the number of activeconnections satisfies (e.g., is greater than or equal to) a threshold(e.g., the maximum number of connections supported by the originatingRR-client). When the originating RR-client determines that the number ofactive connections does not satisfy the threshold (e.g., the number ofactive sessions is less than the maximum number of connections supportedby the originating RR-client), the originating RR-client may send aconnection initiation request acceptance to the target RR to cause aconnection to be established between the originating RR-client and thetarget RR. Accordingly, the originating RR-client may update the datastructure included in the RR-client and/or the target RR may update thedata structure included in the target RR to each indicate that an activeconnection exists between the originating RR-client and the target RR.Additionally, or alternatively, when the originating RR-clientdetermines that the number of active connections satisfies the threshold(e.g., the number of active sessions is greater than or equal to themaximum number of connections supported by the originating RR-client),the originating RR-client may send a connection initiation requestrejection to the target RR to prevent a connection from beingestablished between the originating RR-client and the target RR.

In some implementations, after causing the connection to be establishedbetween the target RR and the originating RR-client, the target RR maygenerate and/or send an auto-discovery signaling route, such as an RRneighborship advertisement route to at least one different target RR ofthe one or more RRs. For example, as shown by reference number 126, theRR 1 may generate and/or send an RR neighborship advertisement route tothe RR N (e.g., based on causing a connection between the RR 1 and theRR-client 1 to be established). In some implementations, the target RRmay send the RR neighborship advertisement route to theauto-discovery-RR to cause the auto-discovery-RR to send the RRneighborship advertisement route to the at least one different target RRof the one or more RRs (e.g., in a similar manner as described herein inrelation to FIG. 1B). Additionally, or alternatively, the target RR maydirectly send the RR neighborship advertisement route to the at leastone different target RR of the one or more RRs (e.g., based on therespective connections between the target RR and the one or more RRs).

The RR neighborship advertisement route may include information thatindicates that the target RR has caused a connection with theoriginating RR-client to be established. Additionally, or alternatively,the RR neighborship advertisement route may include informationidentifying a route distinguisher of the RR neighborship advertisementroute (e.g., a unique identifier); information identifying a type of theRR neighborship advertisement route (e.g., information indicating thatthe route is an RR neighborship advertisement route); informationidentifying an address of the originating RR-client; informationidentifying an address family associated with the target RR (e.g., anAFI, a SAFI, and/or the like); information identifying the target RR(e.g., an IP address associated with the target RR, a physical locationof the target RR, and/or the like); information identifying at least oneconfiguration preference of the target RR (e.g., a maximum number ofconnections supported by the target RR); information identifying atleast one route target associated with the target RR (e.g., informationindicating that the target RR belongs to a particular group, such as agroup comprising the one or more RRs, a group comprising just the targetRR, and/or the like); information indicating a cost (e.g., an interiorgateway protocol (IGP) cost to route from the target RR to theoriginating RR-client); and/or the like.

A different target RR that receives the RR neighborship advertisementroute may process the RR neighborship advertisement route to determinethe information that indicates that the target RR has caused aconnection with the originating RR-client to be established and/or theadditional information related to the target RR (e.g., the informationidentifying the address of the originating RR-client; informationidentifying the address family associated with the target RR; theinformation identifying the target RR; the information identifying atleast one configuration preference of the target RR; the informationidentifying at least one route target associated with the target RR; theinformation indicating the cost to route from the target RR to theoriginating RR-client; and/or the like). The different target RR mayupdate a data structure (e.g., included in the different target RR) toinclude the information that indicates that the target RR has caused aconnection with the originating RR-client to be established and/or atleast some of the additional information related to the target RR.

In some implementations, the different target RR may receive theRR-client request route after receiving and processing the RRneighborship advertisement route. For example, as shown in FIG. 1D, RR Nmay receive the RR-client request route sent by the auto-discovery-RR(e.g., described herein in relation to reference number 122-2) afterreceiving the RR neighborship advertisement route sent by RR 1 (e.g.,described herein in relation to reference number 126). The differenttarget RR may process the RR-client request route to determine whetherto cause a connection to be established between the different target RRand the originating RR-client in a similar manner as described herein inrelation to reference number 124.

For example, the different target RR may search the data structure ofthe different target RR (e.g., after updating the data structure basedon receiving the RR neighborship advertisement route) to determine anumber of active connections to the originating RR-client. When thedifferent target RR determines that the number of active connections tothe originating RR-client is less than the maximum number of connectionsto the RR-client (e.g., as indicated by the RR-client request route),the different target RR may send a connection initiation request to theoriginating RR-client to cause a connection to be established betweenthe different target RR and the originating RR-client.

Additionally, or alternatively, when the different target RR determinesthat the number of active connections to the originating RR-client isgreater than or equal to the maximum number of connections to theRR-client, the different target RR may determine not to send aconnection initiation request to the originating RR-client and maythereby prevent a connection from being established between thedifferent target RR and the originating RR-client. For example, as shownby reference number 128, the RR N may determine that the number ofactive connections to the RR-client 1 is greater than or equal to themaximum number of connections to the RR-client 1 and may determine toprevent a connection from being established between the RR N and theRR-client 1.

As indicated above, FIGS. 1A-1D are provided merely as one or moreexamples. Other examples may differ from what is described with regardto FIGS. 1A-1D.

FIGS. 2A-2C depict example routes described herein. As shown in FIG. 2A,example RR advertisement route 200 may include a prefix that includes a“Route-Distinguisher” field (e.g., a unique identifier for the route), a“Type” field (e.g., that indicates that the route is an RR advertisementroute), a “Version” field (e.g., that indicates a version of the RRadvertisement route), and/or an “AFI” field and an “SAFI” field (thatindicates an address family of an originating RR sending the RRadvertisement route). Further, the RR advertisement route may include(e.g., in a payload of the RR advertisement route) a “Nexthop” attributeor a “Multinexthop” attribute (e.g., that indicates an IP address of theoriginating RR), an “origin-AS” attribute (e.g., that indicates an ASassociated with the originating RR), a “Local-pref” attribute (e.g.,that indicates one or more configuration preferences of the originatingRR), an “optional” attribute (e.g., that indicates a unique identifierassociated with the originating RR), an “RTs” attribute (e.g., thatindicates that the originating RR belongs to a particular group, such asa group of RRs), and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2B, example RR-client request route 210 may include aprefix that includes a “Route-Distinguisher” field (e.g., a uniqueidentifier for the route), a “Type” field (e.g., that indicates that theroute is an RR-client request route), a “Version” field (e.g., thatindicates a version of the RR-client request route), and/or an “AFI”field and an “SAFI” field (that indicates an address family of anoriginating RR-client sending the RR-client request route). Further, theRR-client request route may include (e.g., in payload of the RR-clientrequest route) a “Nexthop” attribute or a “Multinexthop” attribute(e.g., that indicates an IP address of the originating RR-client), an“origin-AS” attribute (e.g., that indicates an AS associated with theoriginating RR-client), a “Config attr” attribute (e.g., that indicatesone or more configuration preferences of the originating RR-client), an“optional” attribute (e.g., that indicates a unique identifierassociated with the originating RR-client), an “RTs” attribute (e.g.,that indicates that the originating RR belongs to a particular group,such as a group of RR-clients), and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2C, example RR neighborship advertisement route 220 mayinclude a prefix that includes a “Route-Distinguisher” field (e.g., aunique identifier for the route), a “Type” field (e.g., that indicatesthat the route is an RR neighborship advertisement route), a “Version”field (e.g., that indicates a version of the RR neighborshipadvertisement route), a “ver” field (e.g., that indicates an IP versionof an address of a RR-client connected to an originating RR sending theRR neighborship advertisement route), a “Client-Address” field (e.g.,that indicates the IP address of the RR-client), and/or an “AFI” fieldand an “SAFI” field (that indicates an address family of the originatingRR). Further, the RR neighborship advertisement route may include (e.g.,in payload of the RR neighborship advertisement route) a “Nexthop”attribute or a “Multinexthop” attribute (e.g., that indicates an IPaddress of the originating RR), a “MED” attribute (e.g., that indicatesa cost to route from the originating RR to the RR-client), an “optional”attribute (e.g., that indicates a unique identifier associated with theoriginating RR), an “RTs” attribute (e.g., that indicates that theoriginating RR belongs to a particular group, such as a group of RRs, agroup comprising just the originating RR, and/or the like), and/or thelike.

As indicated above, FIGS. 2A-2C are provided merely as one or moreexamples. Other examples may differ from what is described with regardto FIGS. 2A-2C.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example environment 300 in which systemsand/or methods described herein may be implemented. As shown in FIG. 3,environment 300 may include auto-discovery-RR 310, RR 320-1 through RR320-N (hereinafter referred to collectively as “RRs 320,” andindividually as “RR 320”), RR-client 330-1 through RR-client 330-M(hereinafter referred to collectively as “RR-clients 330,” andindividually as “RR-client 330”), and a network 340. Devices ofenvironment 300 may interconnect via wired connections, wirelessconnections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

Auto-discovery-RR 310 includes one or more devices (e.g., one or moretraffic transfer devices) capable of processing and/or transferringtraffic. For example, auto-discovery-RR 310 may include a firewall, arouter, a gateway, a switch, a hub, a bridge, a reverse proxy, a server(e.g., a proxy server), a security device, an intrusion detectiondevice, a load balancer, or a similar type of device. In someimplementations, auto-discovery-RR 310 may be respectively connected toRR 320 and/or RR-client 330 via a link, a plurality of links, and/or thelike. In some implementations, auto-discovery-RR 310 may transmittraffic to and/or receive traffic from RR 320 and/or RR-client 330, asdescribed elsewhere herein. In some implementations, auto-discovery-RR310 may be a physical device implemented within a housing, such as achassis. In some implementations, auto-discovery-RR 310 may be a virtualdevice implemented by one or more computer devices of a cloud computingenvironment or a data center.

RR 320 includes one or more devices (e.g., one or more traffic transferdevices) capable of processing and/or transferring traffic. For example,RR 320 may include a firewall, a router, a gateway, a switch, a hub, abridge, a reverse proxy, a server (e.g., a proxy server), a securitydevice, an intrusion detection device, a load balancer, or a similartype of device. In some implementations, the RRs 320 may be fullymeshed. In some implementations, one or more RRs 320 may serve as RRsfor a cluster that includes the one or more RRs 320 and one or moreRR-clients 330. In some implementations, RR 320 may transmit traffic toand/or receive traffic from auto-discovery-RR 310 and/or RR-client 330,as described elsewhere herein. In some implementations, RR 320 may be aphysical device implemented within a housing, such as a chassis. In someimplementations, RR 320 may be a virtual device implemented by one ormore computer devices of a cloud computing environment or a data center.

RR-client 330 includes one or more devices (e.g., one or more traffictransfer devices) capable of processing and/or transferring traffic. Forexample, RR-client 330 may include a firewall, a router, a gateway, aswitch, a hub, a bridge, a reverse proxy, a server (e.g., a proxyserver), a security device, an intrusion detection device, a loadbalancer, or a similar type of device. In some implementations, one ormore RR-clients 330 may be in a cluster that includes one or more RRs320. In some implementations, RR-client 330 may transmit traffic toand/or receive traffic from auto-discovery-RR 310 and/or RR 320, asdescribed elsewhere herein. In some implementations, RR-client 330 maybe a physical device implemented within a housing, such as a chassis. Insome implementations, RR-client 330 may be a virtual device implementedby one or more computer devices of a cloud computing environment or adata center.

Network 340 includes one or more wired and/or wireless networks. Forexample, network 340 may include a cellular network (e.g., a long-termevolution (LTE) network, a 3G network, a 4G network, a 5G network, a NewRadio (NR) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network,and/or the like), a public land mobile network (PLMN), a local areanetwork (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), a telephone network (e.g., the Public Switched Telephone Network(PSTN)), an Ethernet network, a VPN (E.g., a VPLS, an EVPN, a VPWS, anL2VPN, an L3VPN, and/or the like), a private network, an ad hoc network,an intranet, the Internet, a fiber optic-based network, a cloudcomputing network, or the like, and/or a combination of these or othertypes of networks. Network 340 may employ a routing protocol, such asBGP.

The number and arrangement of devices and networks shown in FIG. 3 areprovided as one or more examples. In practice, there may be additionaldevices, fewer devices and/or networks, different devices and/ornetworks, or differently arranged devices and/or networks than thoseshown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, two or more devices shown in FIG. 3 may beimplemented within a single device, or a single device shown in FIG. 3may be implemented as multiple, distributed devices. Additionally, oralternatively, a set of devices (e.g., one or more devices) ofenvironment 300 may perform one or more functions described as beingperformed by another set of devices of environment 300.

FIGS. 4A-4B are diagrams of example components of one or more devices ofFIG. 3. FIG. 4A is a diagram of example components of a device 400.Device 400 may correspond to auto-discovery-RR 310, RR 320, RR-client330, and/or the like. In some implementations, auto-discovery-RR 310, RR320, RR-client 330, and/or the like may include one or more devices 400and/or one or more components of device 400. As shown in FIG. 4A, device400 may include a bus 405, a processor 410, a memory 415, a storagecomponent 420, an input component 425, an output component 430, and acommunication interface 435.

Bus 405 includes a component that permits communication among thecomponents of device 400. Processor 410 is implemented in hardware,firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. Processor 410 takesthe form of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit(GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), a microprocessor, amicrocontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmablegate array (FPGA), an ASIC, or another type of processing component. Insome implementations, processor 410 includes one or more processorscapable of being programmed to perform a function. Memory 415 includes arandom access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and/or anothertype of dynamic or static storage device (e.g., a flash memory, amagnetic memory, and/or an optical memory) that stores informationand/or instructions for use by processor 410.

Storage component 420 stores information and/or software related to theoperation and use of device 400. For example, storage component 420 mayinclude a hard disk (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, amagneto-optic disk, and/or a solid state disk), a compact disc (CD), adigital versatile disc (DVD), a floppy disk, a cartridge, a magnetictape, and/or another type of non-transitory computer-readable medium,along with a corresponding drive.

Input component 425 includes a component that permits device 400 toreceive information, such as via user input (e.g., a touch screendisplay, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a button, a switch, and/or amicrophone). Additionally, or alternatively, input component 425 mayinclude a sensor for sensing information (e.g., a global positioningsystem (GPS) component, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and/or anactuator). Output component 430 includes a component that providesoutput information from device 400 (e.g., a display, a speaker, and/orone or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs)).

Communication interface 435 includes a transceiver-like component (e.g.,a transceiver and/or a separate receiver and transmitter) that enablesdevice 400 to communicate with other devices, such as via a wiredconnection, a wireless connection, or a combination of wired andwireless connections. Communication interface 435 may permit device 400to receive information from another device and/or provide information toanother device. For example, communication interface 435 may include anEthernet interface, an optical interface, a coaxial interface, aninfrared interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a universal serialbus (USB) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a cellular network interface, orthe like.

Device 400 may perform one or more processes described herein. Device400 may perform these processes based on processor 410 executingsoftware instructions stored by a non-transitory computer-readablemedium, such as memory 415 and/or storage component 420. Acomputer-readable medium is defined herein as a non-transitory memorydevice. A memory device includes memory space within a single physicalstorage device or memory space spread across multiple physical storagedevices.

Software instructions may be read into memory 415 and/or storagecomponent 420 from another computer-readable medium or from anotherdevice via communication interface 435. When executed, softwareinstructions stored in memory 415 and/or storage component 420 may causeprocessor 410 to perform one or more processes described herein.Additionally, or alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in placeof or in combination with software instructions to perform one or moreprocesses described herein. Thus, implementations described herein arenot limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry andsoftware.

The number and arrangement of components shown in FIG. 4A are providedas an example. In practice, device 400 may include additionalcomponents, fewer components, different components, or differentlyarranged components than those shown in FIG. 4A. Additionally, oralternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) ofdevice 400 may perform one or more functions described as beingperformed by another set of components of device 400.

FIG. 4B is a diagram of example components of a device 450. Device 450may correspond to auto-discovery-RR 310, RR 320, RR-client 330, and/orthe like. In some implementations, auto-discovery-RR 310, RR 320,RR-client 330, and/or the like may include one or more devices 450and/or one or more components of device 450. As shown in FIG. 4B, device450 may include one or more input components 455-1 through 455-B (B≥1)(hereinafter referred to collectively as input components 455, andindividually as input component 455), a switching component 460, one ormore output components 465-1 through 465-C(C≥1) (hereinafter referred tocollectively as output components 465, and individually as outputcomponent 465), and a controller 470.

Input components 455 may be points of attachment for physical links andmay be points of entry for incoming traffic, such as packets. Inputcomponent 455 may process incoming traffic, such as by performing datalink layer encapsulation or decapsulation. In some implementations,input component 455 may send and/or receive packets. In someimplementations, input component 455 may include an input line card thatincludes one or more packet processing components (e.g., in the form ofintegrated circuits), such as one or more interface cards (IFCs), packetforwarding components, line card controller components, input ports,processors, memories, and/or input queues. In some implementations,device 450 may include one or more input components 455.

Switching component 460 may interconnect input components 455 withoutput components 465. In some implementations, switching component 460may be implemented via one or more crossbars, via busses, and/or withshared memories. The shared memories may act as temporary buffers tostore packets from input components 455 before the packets areeventually scheduled for delivery to output components 465. In someimplementations, switching component 460 may enable input components455, output components 465, and/or controller 470 to communicate.

Output component 465 may store packets and may schedule packets fortransmission on output physical links. Output component 465 may supportdata link layer encapsulation or decapsulation, and/or a variety ofhigher-level protocols. In some implementations, output component 465may send packets and/or receive packets. In some implementations, outputcomponent 465 may include an output line card that includes one or morepacket processing components (e.g., in the form of integrated circuits),such as one or more IFCs, packet forwarding components, line cardcontroller components, output ports, processors, memories, and/or outputqueues. In some implementations, device 450 may include one or moreoutput components 465. In some implementations, input component 455 andoutput component 465 may be implemented by the same set of components(e.g., and input/output component may be a combination of inputcomponent 455 and output component 465).

Controller 470 includes a processor in the form of, for example, a CPU,a GPU, an APU, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a DSP, an FPGA, anASIC, and/or another type of processor. The processor is implemented inhardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. In someimplementations, controller 470 may include one or more processors thatcan be programmed to perform a function.

In some implementations, controller 470 may include a RAM, a ROM, and/oranother type of dynamic or static storage device (e.g., a flash memory,a magnetic memory, an optical memory, and/or the like) that storesinformation and/or instructions for use by controller 470.

In some implementations, controller 470 may communicate with otherdevices, networks, and/or systems connected to device 400 to exchangeinformation regarding network topology. Controller 470 may createrouting tables based on the network topology information, createforwarding tables based on the routing tables, and forward theforwarding tables to input components 455 and/or output components 465.Input components 455 and/or output components 465 may use the forwardingtables to perform route lookups for incoming and/or outgoing packets.

Controller 470 may perform one or more processes described herein.Controller 470 may perform these processes in response to executingsoftware instructions stored by a non-transitory computer-readablemedium.

Software instructions may be read into a memory and/or storage componentassociated with controller 470 from another computer-readable medium orfrom another device via a communication interface. When executed,software instructions stored in a memory and/or storage componentassociated with controller 470 may cause controller 470 to perform oneor more processes described herein. Additionally, or alternatively,hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions to perform one or more processes described herein.Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to any specificcombination of hardware circuitry and software.

The number and arrangement of components shown in FIG. 4B are providedas an example. In practice, device 450 may include additionalcomponents, fewer components, different components, or differentlyarranged components than those shown in FIG. 4B. Additionally, oralternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) ofdevice 450 may perform one or more functions described as beingperformed by another set of components of device 450.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an example process 500 for automatic discoveryof route reflection peering end-points. In some implementations, one ormore process blocks of FIG. 5 may be performed by a auto-discovery-RR(e.g., auto-discovery-RR 310). In some implementations, one or moreprocess blocks of FIG. 5 may be performed by another device or a groupof devices separate from or including the auto-discovery-RR, such asanother auto-discovery-RR, and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 5, process 500 may include obtaining a route from anoriginating network device (block 510). For example, theauto-discovery-RR (e.g., using processor 410, memory 415, storagecomponent 420, input component 425, output component 430, communicationinterface 435, input component 455, switching component 460, outputcomponent 465, controller 470, and/or the like) may obtain a route froman originating network device, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 5, process 500 may include updating a datastructure to include at least some information contained in the route(block 520). For example, the auto-discovery-RR (e.g., using processor410, memory 415, storage component 420, input component 425, outputcomponent 430, communication interface 435, input component 455,switching component 460, output component 465, controller 470, and/orthe like) may update a data structure to include at least someinformation contained in the route, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 5, process 500 may include identifying, basedon the data structure, a plurality of target network devices, whereinthe plurality of target network devices includes at least one RR and atleast one RR-client (block 530). For example, the auto-discovery-RR(e.g., using processor 410, memory 415, storage component 420, inputcomponent 425, output component 430, communication interface 435, inputcomponent 455, switching component 460, output component 465, controller470, and/or the like) may identify, based on the data structure, aplurality of target network devices, as described above. In someimplementations, the plurality of target network devices includes atleast one RR and at least one RR-client.

As further shown in FIG. 5, process 500 may include sending the route tothe plurality of target network devices to facilitate establishment of aconnection between the originating network device and at least onetarget network device of the plurality of target network devices (block540). For example, the auto-discovery-RR (e.g., using processor 410,memory 415, storage component 420, input component 425, output component430, communication interface 435, input component 455, switchingcomponent 460, output component 465, controller 470, and/or the like)may send the route to the plurality of target network devices tofacilitate establishment of a connection between the originating networkdevice and at least one target network device of the plurality of targetnetwork devices, as described above.

Process 500 may include additional implementations, such as any singleimplementation or any combination of implementations described belowand/or in connection with one or more other processes describedelsewhere herein.

In a first implementation, the auto-discovery-RR is respectivelyconnected to the originating network device and each target networkdevice of the plurality of target network devices.

In a second implementation, alone or in combination with the firstimplementation, the route includes at least one of informationidentifying a route distinguisher of the route; information identifyinga type of the route; information identifying an address familyassociated with the originating network device; information identifyingthe originating network device; information identifying a networkassociated with the originating network device; information identifyingat least one configuration preference of the originating network device;or information identifying at least one route target associated with theoriginating network device.

In a third implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first and second implementations, the originating network device andthe at least one target network device are each RRs and the route is anRR advertisement route, wherein sending the route to the plurality oftarget network devices causes the at least one target network device tocause a connection with the originating network device to beestablished.

In a fourth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through third implementations, the originating network deviceand the at least one target network device are each RRs and the route isan RR advertisement route, wherein sending the route to the plurality oftarget network devices causes the at least one target network device tocause a connection with the originating network device to beestablished, and send, to the originating network device and via theconnection, information concerning at least one address family supportedby the at least one target network device.

In a fifth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through fourth implementations, the originating network deviceis an RR, the at least one target network device is an RR-client, andthe route is an RR advertisement route, wherein sending the route to theplurality of target network devices causes the at least one targetnetwork device to update one or more settings of the at least one targetnetwork device to allow the originating network device to be able tocause a connection with the at least one target network device to beestablished.

In a sixth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through fifth implementations, the originating network deviceis an RR-client, the at least one target network device is an RR, andthe route is an RR-client request route, wherein sending the route tothe plurality of target network devices causes the at least one targetnetwork device to cause a connection with the originating network deviceto be established.

In a seventh implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through sixth implementations, the originating network deviceis an RR-client, the at least one target network device is an RR, andthe route is an RR-client request route, wherein sending the route tothe plurality of target network devices causes the at least one targetnetwork device to cause a connection with the originating network deviceto be established, and send, based on causing the connection with theoriginating network device to be established, an RR neighborshipadvertisement route to at least one other target network device of theplurality of target network devices.

Although FIG. 5 shows example blocks of process 500, in someimplementations, process 500 may include additional blocks, fewerblocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than thosedepicted in FIG. 5. Additionally, or alternatively, two or more of theblocks of process 500 may be performed in parallel.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example process 600 for automatic discoveryof route reflection peering end-points. In some implementations, one ormore process blocks of FIG. 6 may be performed by an RR (e.g., RR 320).In some implementations, one or more process blocks of FIG. 6 may beperformed by another device or a group of devices separate from orincluding the RR, such as another RR.

As shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include receiving, from anoriginating network device and via an auto-discovery-RR, a route (block610). For example, the RR (e.g., using processor 410, memory 415,storage component 420, input component 425, output component 430,communication interface 435, input component 455, switching component460, output component 465, controller 470, and/or the like) may receive,from an originating network device and via an auto-discovery-RR, aroute, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include processing the routeto determine information identifying the originating network device andadditional information related to the originating network device (block620). For example, the RR (e.g., using processor 410, memory 415,storage component 420, input component 425, output component 430,communication interface 435, input component 455, switching component460, output component 465, controller 470, and/or the like) may processthe route to determine information identifying the originating networkdevice and additional information related to the originating networkdevice, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include updating a datastructure to include the information identifying the originating networkdevice and at least some of the additional information related to theoriginating network device (block 630). For example, the RR (e.g., usingprocessor 410, memory 415, storage component 420, input component 425,output component 430, communication interface 435, input component 455,switching component 460, output component 465, controller 470, and/orthe like) may update a data structure to include the informationidentifying the originating network device and at least some of theadditional information related to the originating network device, asdescribed above.

As further shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include causing, based onthe information identifying the originating network device, a connectionbetween the RR and the originating network device to be established(block 640). For example, the RR (e.g., using processor 410, memory 415,storage component 420, input component 425, output component 430,communication interface 435, input component 455, switching component460, output component 465, controller 470, and/or the like) may cause,based on the information identifying the originating network device, aconnection between the RR and the originating network device to beestablished, as described above.

Process 600 may include additional implementations, such as any singleimplementation or any combination of implementations described belowand/or in connection with one or more other processes describedelsewhere herein.

In a first implementation, the originating network device is an RR andthe route is an RR advertisement route, and when causing the connectionwith the originating network device to be established, the RR maydetermine, based on the information identifying the originating networkdevice, an address of the originating network device; send, based on theaddress of the originating network device, a connection initiationrequest to the originating network device to cause the connection to beestablished between the RR and the originating network device; and send,to the originating network device and via the connection, informationconcerning at least one address family supported by the RR.

In a second implementation, alone or in combination with the firstimplementation, the originating network device is an RR-client and theroute is an RR-client request route, and when causing the connectionwith the originating network device to be established, the RR maydetermine, based on the additional information related to theoriginating network device, an address family associated with theoriginating network device; determine that the address family associatedwith the originating network device matches an address family supportedby the RR; and send, based on determining that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches the addressfamily supported by the RR, a connection initiation request to theoriginating network device to cause the connection to be establishedbetween the RR and the originating network device.

In a third implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first and second implementations, the originating network device isan RR-client and the route is an RR-client request route, and whencausing the connection with the originating network device to beestablished, the RR may determine, based on the additional informationrelated to the originating network device, an address family associatedwith the originating network device and a maximum number of connectionsof the originating network device; determine that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches an address familysupported by the RR; determine, based on the data structure, that anumber of active connections to the originating network device is lessthan the maximum number of connections to the originating networkdevice; and cause, based on determining that that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches the addressfamily supported by the RR and determining that the number of activeconnections to the originating network device is less than the maximumnumber of connections to the originating network device, the connectionbetween the RR and the originating network device to be established.

In a fourth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through third implementations, the originating network deviceis an RR-client and the route is an RR-client request route, and whencausing the connection with the originating network device to beestablished, the RR may determine, based on the additional informationrelated to the originating network device, an address family associatedwith the originating network device and a physical location of theoriginating network device; determine that the address family associatedwith the originating network device matches an address family supportedby the RR; determine that a physical location of the RR is within athreshold distance of a physical location of the originating networkdevice; and cause, based on determining that that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches the addressfamily supported by the RR and determining that the physical location ofthe RR is within the threshold distance of the physical location of theoriginating network device, the connection between the RR and theoriginating network device to be established.

In a fifth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through fourth implementations, the originating network deviceis an RR-client and the route is an RR-client request route, and the RRmay further generate an RR neighborship advertisement route thatindicates that the RR has caused a connection with the originatingnetwork device to be established; determine, based on the datastructure, at least one other RR, and send the RR neighborshipadvertisement route to the at least one other RR.

In a sixth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through fifth implementations, the originating network deviceis an RR-client and the route is an RR-client request route, and whencausing the connection with the originating network device to beestablished, the RR may determine, based on the additional informationrelated to the originating network device, an address family associatedwith the originating network device and a maximum number of connectionsof the originating network device; determine that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches an address familysupported by the RR; receive, from another RR, an RR neighborshipadvertisement route that indicates that the other RR has caused aconnection with the originating network device to be established;determine, based on the data structure and the RR neighborshipadvertisement route, that a number of active connections to theoriginating network device is less than the maximum number ofconnections to the originating network device; and cause, based ondetermining that that the address family associated with the originatingnetwork device matches the address family supported by the RR anddetermining that the number of active connections to the originatingnetwork device is less than the maximum number of connections to theoriginating network device, the connection between the RR and theoriginating network device to be established.

In a seventh implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through sixth implementations, the RR neighborshipadvertisement route includes at least one of information identifying aroute distinguisher of the RR neighborship advertisement route;information identifying a type of the RR neighborship advertisementroute; information identifying an address of the originating networkdevice; information identifying an address family associated with theother RR; information identifying the other RR; information identifyingat least one configuration preference of the other RR; or informationidentifying at least one route target associated with the other RR.

Although FIG. 6 shows example blocks of process 600, in someimplementations, process 600 may include additional blocks, fewerblocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than thosedepicted in FIG. 6. Additionally, or alternatively, two or more of theblocks of process 600 may be performed in parallel.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of an example process 700 for automatic discoveryof route reflection peering end-points. In some implementations, one ormore process blocks of FIG. 7 may be performed by an RR-client (e.g.,RR-client 330). In some implementations, one or more process blocks ofFIG. 7 may be performed by another device or a group of devices separatefrom or including the RR-client, such as another RR-client.

As shown in FIG. 7, process 700 may include receiving, from anoriginating RR and via an auto-discovery-RR, a route reflectoradvertisement route (block 710). For example, the RR-client (e.g., usingprocessor 410, memory 415, storage component 420, input component 425,output component 430, communication interface 435, input component 455,switching component 460, output component 465, controller 470, and/orthe like) may receive, from an originating RR and via anauto-discovery-RR, a route reflector advertisement route, as describedabove.

As further shown in FIG. 7, process 700 may include processing the RRadvertisement route to determine information identifying the originatingRR, information identifying an address family associated with theoriginating RR, and additional information related to the originating RR(block 720). For example, the RR-client (e.g., using processor 410,memory 415, storage component 420, input component 425, output component430, communication interface 435, input component 455, switchingcomponent 460, output component 465, controller 470, and/or the like)may process the RR advertisement route to determine informationidentifying the originating RR, information identifying an addressfamily associated with the originating RR, and additional informationrelated to the originating RR, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 7, process 700 may include updating a datastructure to include the information identifying the originating RR, theinformation identifying the address family associated with theoriginating RR, and at least some of the additional information relatedto the originating RR (block 730). For example, the RR-client (e.g.,using processor 410, memory 415, storage component 420, input component425, output component 430, communication interface 435, input component455, switching component 460, output component 465, controller 470,and/or the like) may update a data structure to include the informationidentifying the originating RR, the information identifying the addressfamily associated with the originating RR, and at least some of theadditional information related to the originating RR, as describedabove.

As further shown in FIG. 7, process 700 may include determining whetherthe address family associated with the originating RR matches an addressfamily associated with the RR-client (block 740). For example, theRR-client (e.g., using processor 410, memory 415, storage component 420,input component 425, output component 430, communication interface 435,input component 455, switching component 460, output component 465,controller 470, and/or the like) may determine whether the addressfamily associated with the originating RR matches an address familyassociated with the RR-client, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 7, process 700 may include updating, based ondetermining that the address family associated with the originating RRmatches the address family associated with the RR-client, one or moresettings of the RR-client to allow the originating RR to be able tocause a connection with the RR-client to be established (block 750). Forexample, the RR-client (e.g., using processor 410, memory 415, storagecomponent 420, input component 425, output component 430, communicationinterface 435, input component 455, switching component 460, outputcomponent 465, controller 470, and/or the like) may update, based ondetermining that the address family associated with the originating RRmatches the address family associated with the RR-client, one or moresettings of the RR-client to allow the originating RR to be able tocause a connection with the RR-client to be established, as describedabove.

Process 700 may include additional implementations, such as any singleimplementation or any combination of implementations described belowand/or in connection with one or more other processes describedelsewhere herein.

In a first implementation, the RR-client may further receive aconnection initiation request from the originating RR; send a connectioninitiation request acceptance to the originating RR to cause aconnection to be established between the originating RR and theRR-client; and update the data structure to indicate that an activeconnection exists between the originating RR and the RR-client.

In a second implementation, alone or in combination with the firstimplementation, the RR-client may further send an RR-client requestroute to a plurality of RRs, wherein the plurality of RRs includes theoriginating RR; receive, based on sending the RR-client request route, aconnection initiation request from the originating RR; determine, afterreceiving the connection initiation request and based on the datastructure, whether a number of active connections of the RR-clientsatisfies a threshold; send, based on determining that the number ofactive connections of the RR-client does not satisfy the threshold, aconnection initiation request acceptance to the originating RR to causea connection to be established between originating RR and the RR-client;and update the data structure to indicate that an active connectionexists between the originating RR and the RR-client.

In a third implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first and second implementations, the RR-client may further send anRR-client request route to a plurality of RRs, wherein the plurality ofRRs includes the originating RR and a different RR; receive, based onsending the RR-client request route, a first connection initiationrequest from the different RR; determine, after receiving the firstconnection initiation request and based on the data structure, that anumber of active connections of the RR-client does not satisfy athreshold; send, based on determining that the number of activeconnections of the RR-client does not satisfy the threshold, aconnection initiation request acceptance to the different RR to cause aconnection to be established between the different RR and the RR-client;update the data structure to indicate that an active connection existsbetween the different RR and the RR-client; receive, based on sendingthe RR-client request route, a second connection initiation request fromthe originating RR; determine, after receiving the second connectioninitiation request and based on the data structure, that the number ofactive connections of the RR-client satisfies the threshold; and send,based on determining that the number of active connections of theRR-client satisfies the threshold, a connection initiation requestrejection to the originating RR to prevent a connection from beingestablished between the originating RR and the RR-client.

Although FIG. 7 shows example blocks of process 700, in someimplementations, process 700 may include additional blocks, fewerblocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than thosedepicted in FIG. 7. Additionally, or alternatively, two or more of theblocks of process 700 may be performed in parallel.

The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to theprecise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations may be made inlight of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of theimplementations.

As used herein, the term traffic or content may include a set ofpackets. A packet may refer to a communication structure forcommunicating information, such as a protocol data unit (PDU), a networkpacket, a datagram, a segment, a message, a block, a cell, a frame, asubframe, a slot, a symbol, a portion of any of the above, and/oranother type of formatted or unformatted unit of data capable of beingtransmitted via a network.

As used herein, the term “component” is intended to be broadly construedas hardware, firmware, and/or a combination of hardware and software.

As used herein, satisfying a threshold may, depending on the context,refer to a value being greater than the threshold, more than thethreshold, higher than the threshold, greater than or equal to thethreshold, less than the threshold, fewer than the threshold, lower thanthe threshold, less than or equal to the threshold, equal to thethreshold, or the like.

It will be apparent that systems and/or methods described herein may beimplemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, or a combinationof hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware orsoftware code used to implement these systems and/or methods is notlimiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of thesystems and/or methods are described herein without reference tospecific software code—it being understood that software and hardwarecan be designed to implement the systems and/or methods based on thedescription herein.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in theclaims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are notintended to limit the disclosure of various implementations. In fact,many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recitedin the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although eachdependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, thedisclosure of various implementations includes each dependent claim incombination with every other claim in the claim set.

No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed ascritical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as usedherein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or moreitems, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Further, asused herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more itemsreferenced in connection with the article “the” and may be usedinterchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, theterm “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., relateditems, unrelated items, a combination of related and unrelated items,etc.), and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where onlyone item is intended, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used.Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like areintended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” isintended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly statedotherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to beinclusive when used in a series and may be used interchangeably with“and/or,” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., if used incombination with “either” or “only one of”).

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: obtaining, by anauto-discovery route reflector (auto-discovery-RR), a route from anoriginating network device; updating, by the auto-discovery-RR, a datastructure to include at least some information contained in the route;identifying, by the auto-discovery-RR and based on the data structure, aplurality of target network devices, wherein the plurality of targetnetwork devices includes at least one route reflector (RR) and at leastone route reflector client (RR-client); and sending, by theauto-discovery-RR, the route to the plurality of target network devicesto facilitate establishment of a connection between the originatingnetwork device and at least one target network device of the pluralityof target network devices.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein theauto-discovery-RR is respectively connected to the originating networkdevice and each target network device of the plurality of target networkdevices.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the route includes at leastone of: information identifying a route distinguisher of the route;information identifying a type of the route; information identifying anaddress family associated with the originating network device;information identifying the originating network device; informationidentifying a network associated with the originating network device;information identifying at least one configuration preference of theoriginating network device; or information identifying at least oneroute target associated with the originating network device.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the originating network device and the atleast one target network device are each RRs and the route is an RRadvertisement route, wherein sending the route to the plurality oftarget network devices causes the at least one target network device tocause a connection with the originating network device to beestablished.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the originating networkdevice and the at least one target network device are each RRs and theroute is an RR advertisement route, wherein sending the route to theplurality of target network devices causes the at least one targetnetwork device to: cause a connection with the originating networkdevice to be established; and send, to the originating network deviceand via the connection, information concerning at least one addressfamily supported by the at least one target network device.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the originating network device is an RR, theat least one target network device is an RR-client, and the route is anRR advertisement route, wherein sending the route to the plurality oftarget network devices causes the at least one target network device toupdate one or more settings of the at least one target network device toallow the originating network device to be able to cause a connectionwith the at least one target network device to be established.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the originating network device is anRR-client, the at least one target network device is an RR, and theroute is an RR-client request route, wherein sending the route to theplurality of target network devices causes the at least one targetnetwork device to cause a connection with the originating network deviceto be established.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the originatingnetwork device is an RR-client, the at least one target network deviceis an RR, and the route is an RR-client request route, wherein sendingthe route to the plurality of target network devices causes the at leastone target network device to: cause a connection with the originatingnetwork device to be established; and send, based on causing theconnection with the originating network device to be established, an RRneighborship advertisement route to at least one other target networkdevice of the plurality of target network devices.
 9. A route reflector(RR), comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors to:receive, from an originating network device and via an auto-discoveryroute reflector (auto-discovery-RR), a route; process the route todetermine information identifying the originating network device andadditional information related to the originating network device; updatea data structure to include the information identifying the originatingnetwork device and at least some of the additional information relatedto the originating network device; and cause, based on the informationidentifying the originating network device, a connection between the RRand the originating network device to be established.
 10. The RR ofclaim 9, wherein the originating network device is an RR and the routeis an RR advertisement route, wherein the one or more processors, whencausing the connection with the originating network device to beestablished, are to: determine, based on the information identifying theoriginating network device, an address of the originating networkdevice; send, based on the address of the originating network device, aconnection initiation request to the originating network device to causethe connection to be established between the RR and the originatingnetwork device; and send, to the originating network device and via theconnection, information concerning at least one address family supportedby the RR.
 11. The RR of claim 9, wherein the originating network deviceis a route reflector client (RR-client) and the route is an RR-clientrequest route, wherein the one or more processors, when causing theconnection with the originating network device to be established, areto: determine, based on the additional information related to theoriginating network device, an address family associated with theoriginating network device; determine that the address family associatedwith the originating network device matches an address family supportedby the RR; and send, based on determining that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches the addressfamily supported by the RR, a connection initiation request to theoriginating network device to cause the connection to be establishedbetween the RR and the originating network device.
 12. The RR of claim9, wherein the originating network device is a route reflector client(RR-client) and the route is an RR-client request route, wherein the oneor more processors, when causing the connection with the originatingnetwork device to be established, are to: determine, based on theadditional information related to the originating network device, anaddress family associated with the originating network device and amaximum number of connections of the originating network device;determine that the address family associated with the originatingnetwork device matches an address family supported by the RR; determine,based on the data structure, that a number of active connections to theoriginating network device is less than the maximum number ofconnections to the originating network device; and cause, based ondetermining that that the address family associated with the originatingnetwork device matches the address family supported by the RR anddetermining that the number of active connections to the originatingnetwork device is less than the maximum number of connections to theoriginating network device, the connection between the RR and theoriginating network device to be established.
 13. The RR of claim 9,wherein the originating network device is a route reflector client(RR-client) and the route is an RR-client request route, wherein the oneor more processors, when causing the connection with the originatingnetwork device to be established, are to: determine, based on theadditional information related to the originating network device, anaddress family associated with the originating network device and aphysical location of the originating network device; determine that theaddress family associated with the originating network device matches anaddress family supported by the RR; determine that a physical locationof the RR is within a threshold distance of a physical location of theoriginating network device; and cause, based on determining that thatthe address family associated with the originating network devicematches the address family supported by the RR and determining that thephysical location of the RR is within the threshold distance of thephysical location of the originating network device, the connectionbetween the RR and the originating network device to be established. 14.The RR of claim 9, wherein the originating network device is a routereflector client (RR-client) and the route is an RR-client requestroute, wherein the one or more processors are further to: generate an RRneighborship advertisement route that indicates that the RR has caused aconnection with the originating network device to be established;determine, based on the data structure, at least one other RR; and sendthe RR neighborship advertisement route to the at least one other RR.15. The RR of claim 9, wherein the originating network device is a routereflector client (RR-client) and the route is an RR-client requestroute, wherein the one or more processors, when causing the connectionwith the originating network device to be established, are to:determine, based on the additional information related to theoriginating network device, an address family associated with theoriginating network device and a maximum number of connections of theoriginating network device; determine that the address family associatedwith the originating network device matches an address family supportedby the RR; receive, from another RR, an RR neighborship advertisementroute that indicates that the other RR has caused a connection with theoriginating network device to be established; determine, based on thedata structure and the RR neighborship advertisement route, that anumber of active connections to the originating network device is lessthan the maximum number of connections to the originating networkdevice; and cause, based on determining that that the address familyassociated with the originating network device matches the addressfamily supported by the RR and determining that the number of activeconnections to the originating network device is less than the maximumnumber of connections to the originating network device, the connectionbetween the RR and the originating network device to be established. 16.The RR of claim 15, wherein the RR neighborship advertisement routeincludes at least one of: information identifying a route distinguisherof the RR neighborship advertisement route; information identifying atype of the RR neighborship advertisement route; information identifyingan address of the originating network device; information identifying anaddress family associated with the other RR; information identifying theother RR; information identifying at least one configuration preferenceof the other RR; or information identifying at least one route targetassociated with the other RR.
 17. A non-transitory computer-readablemedium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or moreinstructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a routereflector client (RR-client), cause the one or more processors to:receive, from an originating route reflector (RR) and via anauto-discovery route reflector (auto-discovery-RR), a route reflectoradvertisement route; process the RR advertisement route to determineinformation identifying the originating RR, information identifying anaddress family associated with the originating RR, and additionalinformation related to the originating RR; update a data structure toinclude the information identifying the originating RR, the informationidentifying the address family associated with the originating RR, andat least some of the additional information related to the originatingRR; determine whether the address family associated with the originatingRR matches an address family associated with the RR-client; and update,based on determining that the address family associated with theoriginating RR matches the address family associated with the RR-client,one or more settings of the RR-client to allow the originating RR to beable to cause a connection with the RR-client to be established.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one ormore instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, furthercause the one or more processors to: receive a connection initiationrequest from the originating RR; send a connection initiation requestacceptance to the originating RR to cause a connection to be establishedbetween the originating RR and the RR-client; and update the datastructure to indicate that an active connection exists between theoriginating RR and the RR-client.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or moreinstructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causethe one or more processors to: send an RR-client request route to aplurality of RRs, wherein the plurality of RRs includes the originatingRR; receive, based on sending the RR-client request route, a connectioninitiation request from the originating RR; determine, after receivingthe connection initiation request and based on the data structure,whether a number of active connections of the RR-client satisfies athreshold; send, based on determining that the number of activeconnections of the RR-client does not satisfy the threshold, aconnection initiation request acceptance to the originating RR to causea connection to be established between originating RR and the RR-client;and update the data structure to indicate that an active connectionexists between the originating RR and the RR-client.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one ormore instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, furthercause the one or more processors to: send an RR-client request route toa plurality of RRs, wherein the plurality of RRs includes theoriginating RR and a different RR; receive, based on sending theRR-client request route, a first connection initiation request from thedifferent RR; determine, after receiving the first connection initiationrequest and based on the data structure, that a number of activeconnections of the RR-client does not satisfy a threshold; send, basedon determining that the number of active connections of the RR-clientdoes not satisfy the threshold, a connection initiation requestacceptance to the different RR to cause a connection to be establishedbetween the different RR and the RR-client; update the data structure toindicate that an active connection exists between the different RR andthe RR-client; receive, based on sending the RR-client request route, asecond connection initiation request from the originating RR; determine,after receiving the second connection initiation request and based onthe data structure, that the number of active connections of theRR-client satisfies the threshold; and send, based on determining thatthe number of active connections of the RR-client satisfies thethreshold, a connection initiation request rejection to the originatingRR to prevent a connection from being established between theoriginating RR and the RR-client.